Sun: true or false?
Test your knowledge of the sun and sun protection.
I am tanned, so I am protected.
FALSE. Your tan does not provide you with any protection whatsoever. Tanning promotes premature aging of the skin and the appearance of lines and brown spots.
I need vitamin D, which prevents certain types of cancer.
TRUE. To maintain optimum levels of vitamin D, you need 5-15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure daily.
Taking a vitamin D supplement will ensure you get an adequate dose when you don’t get enough sun, particularly in winter.
When I’m in the water, I am protected from the sun’s rays.
FALSE. Water reflects up to 50% of the sun’s rays and will not protect you from a sunburn if you overdo it.
Treatments for skin cancer are often effective when the disease is detected early.
TRUE, provided that you watch out for the following symptoms:
- a change in a birth or beauty mark (shape, colour or size)
- an outgrowth of skin (e.g. a mole that scabs or a well-defined red, scaly lesion)
- a wound that is slow to heal
- a skin lesion that turns red, becomes itchy or swollen, oozes or bleeds.
Your Brunet-affiliated pharmacist has a MaSanté advice sheet on sun protection. Feel free to ask for it.
More questions?
Talk to your pharmacist. After all, your health is all that matters.
Other advice:
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Sunscreen: what you may or may not know
There are several quality products on the market. Look for UVA and UVB protection.. If you have trouble deciding on which product to buy, ask your pharmacist.
